Building Collaboration, Communication and Community Online

The document discusses social software and its potential uses and benefits for libraries. Social software is defined as tools that allow people to communicate, collaborate and build community online and/or facilitate syndication, sharing, and capitalizing on the knowledge of others. The document outlines how social software can help libraries disseminate information, get feedback from patrons, provide services to remote users, and capitalize on the collective intelligence of colleagues and users. It provides strategies for implementing social software, such as involving staff and IT in planning, testing the technology, learning from patrons, and considering maintenance and sustainability.